


Ambivalence

by asexualshepard



Series: Broken Scopes [4]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: ???? - Freeform, ??????????, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Getting to Know Each Other, I have no idea what else to tag this, M/M, Names, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-09
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-19 10:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5963806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asexualshepard/pseuds/asexualshepard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ethan and MacCready have been traveling together for a while, but there's still a few things they don't know about each other. Namely... their <i>names</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ambivalence

**Author's Note:**

> This was something I wrote during a bout of writers' block, and I didn't post it here when I wrote it because it was more of a stress relief than anything. But it did really well on my Tumblr, so I figured I'd throw it on here, too. Just so I don't lose it.

“Can I ask you something?”

MacCready’s eyes lift from his boots, shifting instead to find Ethan watching him over his broad shoulder, body turned in a half-sidestep as he continues down the cracked road stretching off into the distance. They’ve been walking in silence for—God—has to be going on an hour at this point, so Ethan’s voice is unexpected.

“Oh, uh,” Mac starts, “yeah, I guess.”

Ethan turns completely but continues to move, his heels dragging over the asphalt. MacCready is about to tell him to cut it out before he falls and breaks something when he speaks.

“What’s your first name?”

Mac blinks, his brow furrows. “My… What?”

Ethan grins and glances over his shoulder, taking note of a log lying across the road and gingerly back-stepping over it before he returns his attention.

“Well, I mean, MacCready isn’t your first name, right? And we’ve been traveling together for—months, or something,” he says, eyes wide and bright. “Just figured your name is something I should—know, y’know?”

Mac’s nose twitches as he considers, kicking a rock that finds itself in the unlucky position of sitting in front of his boot. Guy’s got a point.

“Robert.”

MacCready watches as Ethan comes to a full stop, as his eyes light up and his ears almost seem to lift like those of an excited dog.

“That’s— _Robert_? Seriously?”

Mac bristles. “Yes, seriously.”

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Ethan laughs, his hands rising in a defensive gesture. “It’s a good name.”

MacCready scoffs and reaches up to tug his hat further down over his eyes, waits for Ethan to crack another joke. But he doesn’t. Instead, he turns around and continues walking as if they hadn’t talked at all, and MacCready almost feels—slighted.

“Okay, Boss,” he calls, his chin rising. “Your turn.”

“You already know my first name, Mac.”

“Yeah, but not your last one.”

He catches a brief glimpse of Ethan’s smile as he once more looks back over his shoulder, grey eyes squinting in amusement.

“O’Connell,” he says. “My last name is O’Connell.”

And then there’s a moment—kind of slow, kind of fast—and something in MacCready’s gut shudders. They’re just names. That’s the only thing that was shared here. But he still feels like he’s in too deep, like something he doesn’t trust is going to come up and bite him when he’s not looking. And, as Ethan flashes him one more grin and turns around, he waits for the nip at his heels…

“So, can I call you Bobby?”

…But the feeling vanishes just as quickly as it had appeared, and Mac can’t help but snort. “Second I’m dead, sure.”

“How about Robbie?”

“If you add an extra five-hundred caps to my paycheck.”

“MacCready it is, then.”

“Oh, c’mon, Four-hundred? I’m willing to haggle.”

Ethan laughs again, and Mac can’t help the smile that spreads across his face, the warmth building between his ribs. “Nah, MacCready suits you.”

And that, Mac thinks, is the second he stops being ambivalent towards his last name.


End file.
